Conversation with Zyanya

Zyanya asks, "Hi Mister Zaruma! How are you today?"


Zaruma says, "Fine."

Zyanya says, "Thats good! Um."

Zyanya says, "Did Mister Rai have any friends here? I suppose I should let you guys know that he was killed."

Zaruma says, "He was a captive turned slave. Apparently attempted to strike back against Aetherius."

Zaruma says, "Good riddance."

Zyanya says, ". . .Oh."

Zyanya says, "Well. Yeah. Sorry I didn't know who was his friend or not."

Zaruma says, "It matters not."

Zyanya says, ". . ."

Zyanya exclaims, "I never noticed that there are chairs on top of your fortresses!"

Zyanya says, "Thats really cool."

Zyanya exclaims, "Like. You can totally keep watch in comfort!"

Zyanya says, "Or at least as much comfort as stone can afford."

Zaruma says, "--This is a throne. Not a chair."

Zyanya asks, "Oh. Is that like a super chair?"

Zyanya says, "I guess it is bigger."

Zaruma says, "It is."

Zyanya says, "Huh. Well. Nnn. I think I missed Miss Tragedy again. I have, like, the woooooorst timing."

Zaruma says, "You're better off visiting another time, then. I'm certain she'll be around later."

Malgannan says, "...."
Malgannan walks away annoyed by the Dryad's apparent idiocy.
(Malgannan)


Zyanya says, "Well. I can't make too many trips recently. Worries my lil friend too much. But I'll see what I can do. Although I'm dreading the coming battle pretty hard. Thats not gonna be. . .well. Nnn. I'm probably gonna die. Kinda trying to get used to that still."

Zaruma asks, "And whose side are you fighting for?"

Zyanya says, "Honestly? If I can I hope to avoid fighting entirely. I plan on pleading for peace, with both sides, until the very end. I'm also trying to get my sisters not to fight. But if they choose to fight then. . .I dunno! Brother Sibri is on this side. Sisters are on that side. Its all one big giant mess. I honestly think the only way I'ma convince them not to fight is if I convince Brother Sibri not to fight. But I dunno if I'll be able to do that."

Zaruma says, "You did not answer my question."

Zaruma asks, "Whose side will you fight on, should it come to that?"

Zyanya asks, "Probably the weaker side. Or sister's side. I just don't know. Sister Adsila has been busy so I haven't even been able to speak with her yet! Sister Eleuia will fight if Sister Adsila does. So I really gotta reach out to Sister Adsila and. . .ya know? I've been trying to get in touch with her. I dunno. I just don't know. Maybe I won't even fight at all. My lil friend doesn't want me to. I really don't want to. But. . .I dunno. Is it wrong to not fight if the losing fight is for the right cause?"

Zaruma says, "It's not wrong to not fight, but you can remain neutral only for so long."

Zyanya says, "I guess thats true."

Zyanya asks, "Oh. Uh. Do you know who has been cutting down all the trees in Gehenna?"

Zaruma says, "No, I do not."

Zyanya says, "More and more are cleared out every day and its. . .its depressing. Someone is hurting Agartha."
Chelsea the Errant has exited Gaiar Alata.


Zyanya says, "I mean I know Agartha is strong and it'll heal itself. But you should see for yourself what they are doing. Its. . .its huge swaths of land. Regions once covered by forest are being decimated."

Zaruma says, "At least we have something in common. I dislike how humanity has sullied my homeland as well."

Zyanya says, "Nnn. It makes me sad walking through those areas now."

Zyanya says, ". . .S-so many friends. Gone."

Zyanya says, "I'd probably be focusing on that if not for this dumb war. I have so many trees to plant."

Zaruma says, "You're not wrong. Humanity has done much to harm my homeland, and very likely continue to do so."

Zaruma says, "--But I'm not in power to stop that completely."

Zyanya says, "Well. If I find out who did it I'll totally arrest them."

Zyanya says, "Agartha is my homeland too."

Zaruma says, "Arresting is futile. People usually do not change."

Zaruma says, "I tried being merciful and giving people a second chance, to re-educate them."

Zaruma says, "It didn't work. All of the work was discarded and disregarded."

Zyanya says, "Honestly? Seeing Agartha being ruled by one group isn't really even the issue. Its just -how- the Coalition planned on ruling. And how they ended the last war. I suspect, if the rebellion does fail, its only gonna repeat itself with all the executions."

Zaruma says, "Jianghu is just as treacherous. Do not paint them heroes because they seem noble on the surface."

Zyanya says, "I'm not."

Zaruma says, "They started this war from the very beginning by wishing to genocide my kind."

Zyanya says, "Yeah. They were wrong for that."

Zaruma says, "And that led to chain of events, which ended up with current situation."

Zyanya says, "Honestly? I think most of the problem that the rebellion has is with the current leaders of the Coalition. Mister Xoconan. Mister Sibri. Miss Kayeluin. And thats it. Because of how they ended the war. By sacrificing Miss Hatsune who had lots of friends. And then by forcing execution by sacrifice and. . .execution for dissent. That is why the entire rebellion started in the first place! Well, that and I think a misunderstanding. I don't think Mister Sibri was doing anything malicious and I don't think they shoulda run him out of town like that."

Zaruma says, "Hatsune was the one that actively pushed for genocide of my kind."

Zyanya says, "Nnn. Yeah. She was wrong for that."

Zaruma says, "If they blame us for anything, but disregard Hatsune's spark which led to this whole war--"

Zaruma says, "That's being hypocrites."

Zyanya says, "But it coulda been handled differently."

Zaruma says, "How? Hatsune killed my closest advisor, Choi. Hatsune kept pushing agenda of having us all slain."

Zaruma says, "No matter what, she would always dictate us to be unworthy of even living."

Zaruma asks, "How do you tolerate the existance of such individual?"
Zyanya shrugged helplessly, frowning.

"I try to focus on the good in people. If I focus on the bad then what? Should I just hate Miss Tragedy and Mister Sibri for killing Mister Paladin and Mister Ja'Drako and Miss Acahualli? Should I hate you for the deaths you've caused? Or Sister Adsila for the deaths she might have caused? Should I hate Miss Kayeluin for betraying the people who looked up to her, who fought for her?"

Her gaze dropped down towards the stairs, head shaking slowly.

"I don't want to hate people. I want to love them. I want to find peace. I don't want people to die. If there is another way? I want to find it. I know it is foolish. I know its gonna get me killed. I know its not always the best thing to do. But I don't like to see people get hurt. Not on any side. Miss Hatsune was wrong for wanting to kill the Demons. Anyone who thinks that way is wrong. But I want to change their minds through peace. Show them that Demons are like anyone else: not all of them are good but not all of them are evil. No race deserves being wiped out just because some of them did bad."
(Zyanya)

The Archon languidly stared at the Dryad while she explained herself. Sat upon the throne, his frame rested comfortably on the seat, much as the Lord should be.

Her speeches were confusing to him. How could one bear such ideals in a place like this? Certainly, it made little to no sense for Zaruma, and even so looked like the lost cause.

Yet, suddenly, he had a wry smirk resting on his expression.

"If you were to hate people for hurting and killing others, do you hate yourself for killing Gossamer, the Fae?"

A challenging, questioning crimson gaze was set upon Zyanya, seeking to uproot her beliefs.

"But you can hate whoever you want. Emotion, in the end, matters very little other than facts and the outcome of our actions."

"I cannot force you to listen to the reason, only hope that one day you would grow beyond infantile delusions of right and wrong."

"Until then, if you truly believe there was any other way to resolve this other than killing Hatsune--"

"I do not think you're ready yet."
(Zaruma)

The little Dryad's gaze turned up towards the Archon as Gossamer was mentioned. Her expression shifted to one of equal parts sorrow and guilt. She had to pause for a minute in thought. After all he did have a fair point.

"I try not to. I know it was an accident. And I've tried to make ammends with Mister Ravan. I buried her. Then when Mister Ravan asked for her I gave her over to him. I don't expect that to be enough. I'm willing to serve time in prison as well for what I did, once all this is over with. I don't think people should be executed but I do think they should make up for what they did with the friends and family of those they killed. And I'm trying my best to live by that. I would probably hate myself but, like you'd say, it'd be kinda hypocritical if I did. I'm not always successful. But I try."

A hand moved up, rubbing uneasily against the opposite arm. Even if it was accidental it was still wrong.

"I can't really fully agree though. Emotion matters a lot. Maybe not as much as facts and actions. I'll certainly give you that. But emotion drives people. It drives everyone. Even a lack of emotion is a certain type of emotion. Even that drives people."

She'd smile. Perhaps uneasily but getting these sorts of things off her chest actually did feel a little nice. Even if she didn't want to think about them.

"You know its pretty nice chatting with you. I hope after all this is over we can continue. But thats probably just wishful thinking at this point, huh?"
(Zyanya)

Mildly amused by the self-doubt that was inflicted upon Dryad, Zaruma leaned over on the armrest and kept his gaze upon her. It was oddly interesting to see the humans and humanoids explain themselves whenever challenged in such way, after all.

"If you think one can attain forgiveness for virtually anything... suit yourself. You're bound to be disappointed to highest degrees, likely enough to make you revise your worldview."

A pause was made by the Archon, and he promptly exclaimed to her remarks about emotion.

"Emotion indeed drives people, but I do not think you understand the concept behind such."

"Emotions, by default, are prone to push people to many things, to walk towards their ambition. It is oft the teachings of Chaos that one must immerse themselves into their emotions and reflect upon them."

"You may not realize it yet, but you're far closer to such... change. Azrael started as an angel full of empathy, after all."

With a wry smirk, Zaruma added.

"It is a quiet thing to fall... but it is far more terrible to admit it. When do you think you'd come to the point of admitting it, young Dryad?"

(Zaruma)

Her head tilted slightly. The hand on her arm rubbed a little more roughly now, fingers squeezing slightly against the pale skin exposed. He was probably right. After all he was much wiser than she was. Even she could see where it all could end. Well, sort of. Certainly not as clearly as he could.

When would she change? It wasn't a thought she liked to reflect upon. Not one bit. She responded, quieter, meekly even.

"I dunno. Its not something I like to think about. I'd like to say that I'll never change. That I'd never falter from the path I've taken. But that would just be fooling myself. I think it'd take something big though. Loss is usually how people change. I suspect that'll be it."

She had plenty to lose. The rebellion? Should it fail? She was bound to experience plenty of loss then. But having much to lose also meant having more to hold on to. With any luck she wouldn't lose everything. Hopefully that would be enough.
(Zyanya)

All it often took was just one reflection.

Just one thought that would not fit the daily lifestyle, just one challenging idea to think of, and that could result in entire world being viewed under different angle. The whole perception changed, the demeanor broken.

And he could almost see the root of such deep within her, sitting and waiting, eager to spring out at convenient moment.

"Ah. It is perhaps good that you never wondered what lay beneath such emotion..."

"If it would be noble, unblemished ideals that you crave for so much. Or perhaps those emotions bore scars of change you reject so much, of pain and hatred... and if that would stir you more."

"Perhaps your thoughts would change once the life has your heart crushed, and your spirit broken."

He made a pause. The crimson hues ever stared at the Dryad, pondering the full number of thoughts that ran through her head.

"But it is too early for you."

"Such loss is yet to occur. Your heart is yet to be crushed, and your spirit is yet to be broken..."

"Once it happens, remember my words."
(Zaruma)